How Love Came to Lady Oscar
by prettydynamic
Summary: AU-What's a girl to do if she loses the man she loves because of wrathful greek gods? Cry? Not Oscar, if Andre moved heaven and earth to find her, Oscar will walk all the ends of the earth to be with him once again. Sequel to The Lost Rose of Versailles
1. Prologue: A Lady's Lost Prince

She felt alone and empty. There was a sense of forbidding danger that told her Andre was gone. To where, she did not know. He must have taken her coming marriage to Girodere more badly than she thought. _Oh Andre, where are you? I need you, Andre. I'm afraid to marry Girodere. Is it right to marry someone you don't love?_

She stood speechless and forlorn at the 2nd floor hallway of the Jarjeyes Mansion, her long trail caught at the foot of the side table near the banister, and she bent over to free it, almost slightly tripping on her high-heeled glass pumps. She caught herself at the hallway mirror, almost not recognizing herself in a long flowing white gown embroidered with pearls and lace. _I look like Cinderella when she went to the ball but why do I feel as miserable as she must have felt when she was alone cleaning cinders and doing errands for her wicked step-family?_

She stood overlooking at the main hall where the wedding presents from her friends and her father's colleagues were piled at one corner. Despite the innumerable beautiful presents from well-wishers, the emptiness and devastating sadness would not ebb. The loving presence of her best friend was crucial. They share a special bond that goes beyond friendship and master-servant relationship that was inexplicable. Without him, she could not completely be happy on her wedding day. Yet, she knew that even with Andre's presence in her wedding she could not be completely happy married to someone she didn't love the way a woman should love her husband.

She never wanted to choose between them. It was Andre she loved and no one else but her sense of obligation, and gratitude forced her to accept Girodelle's proposal but had Andre proposed, would she have chosen Girodere? Had she known losing Andre was the price she would pay for being grateful to one that saved her, now she knew, she would rather have lost her sense of gratitude and obligation. She never knew losing Andre would bring such a terrible heartache, never knew that losing him would be like losing a part of herself.

"What is wrong, my dear? Aren't you pleased with your presents? You don't look like someone who's about to be married," commented General Jarjeyes to her daughter.

He couldn't understand the undeniable sadness he noticed in her eyes.

"I wish Andre were here, father. I don't understand why he should leave without a word," said Oscar.

Her father gave her a comforting hug. _Should I tell her? _General Jarjeyes sighed in defeat. _My daughter has the right to know..._

"Look, Oscar. I don't know how you would take this. I don't want to upset you any more than you already are...but I promised Andre he can have your hand in marriage if he finds you and brings you back to me..."

"Well...I didn't know...I was never aware he felt that way for me. Do you think he was disappointed when it was Girodelle who found me? But I know Andre...he will just be happy and grateful that I was found even if it was not him..." interrupted Oscar.

General Jarjeyes stared at Oscar in confusion. "No, my dear. Whatever made you think it was Girodelle who rescued you? It was Andre. He was gone for months that I even thought something must have happened to him during his search...until one day a dove came to his friend Alain with a message...he would be at Lake Avernus with you..."

Her father's words caused Oscar to burst into tears. She was agitated as she exclaimed, "No...it cannot be. It was Girodelle who rescued me... his was the face I saw when I woke up... and I remember how he saved me..."

General Jarjeyes shook his head. "That's impossible. Girodelle was stationed at Fort Lacroix for months. He didn't leave his station but he did help us search for you for a while but when everyone has given up after almost a year of search, Andre continued and never lost hope. Don't cry, Oscar. He was just probably disappointed when you accepted Girodelle's proposal but I'm sure he only wants your happiness and would not hold this against you."

Oscar started to panic. "You don't understand, father. It is Andre I love but...but I decided to accept Girodelle's proposal out of gratitude for saving me..."

"I don't know how you came to believe it was Girodelle who saved you but seeing his face first when you woke up doesn't mean he rescued you. Andre was also wounded and we nursed him as well when we found you both at the riverbank. This is the reason he wasn't beside you when you opened your eyes," explained his father.

_No...it couldn't be...I saw Girodelle get wounded by the gigantic water serpent, saw him risked his life in peril, saw him fight with Death as the Queen of the Underworld watched... He carried me all the way till we came out of The Underworld. What is happening? _

Suddenly, Alain walked into the main hall carrying a basket. His face was grim, his lips tight. His eyes stared cold and accusing at Oscar as she and her father came down the stairs to meet him.

"Greetings, Lady Oscar. I bring you a wedding present..." said Alain as he handed the basket to Oscar.

Oscar opened the basket and was astonished to find three golden apples. _The apples in the goddess' garden..._

The distressed look on Oscar's face did not bother Andre nor did it stop him from his reproachful statement. "Andre got this for the woman he loves... almost had himself killed to get it, in fact...so I just thought I'd give it to her for a wedding present"

Oscar was all the more confused. _I thought it was Girodelle..._

She looked at Alain and her father with uncontrollable tears. She felt so confused, her facts were all muddled, and the current situation was making her more disturbed and baffled by the minute but one thing she was sure of at the moment, she couldn't go through the wedding.

"Father...forgive me...I..I...I don't know anything anymore but I know...I know I can't go through with this wedding anymore."

At those words she picked up her long trail, and ran out of the mansion and into the garden where she cried by the fountain. She was not one to cry. Although at the moment she didn't want to do anything but cry her heart out until there were no more tears left, till her emotions have gone cold, and unfeeling to the tremendous pain his missing presence have created in her life. She will not, and damn her honour and principle that cost her the love of her life, but she will not cry. There was no one else to blame but herself.

Suddenly a lark perched by the fountain and sang about Andre's quest for his lost love; the perils, the obstacles, and the gods, monsters, and spirits he faced along the way. The bird told Oscar how Andre was forced to strike a deal with Death in order to take his love out of the Underworld. The lark spoke of the goddess Artemis who fell in love with Andre but Andre chose his love, enraging the goddess that she tasked the spirits of dreams to implant deceptive visions and hallucinations to his lady love to ensure she marries another. "

The lark's song broke her heart and she begged the bird to tell her how to find Andre. "I cannot tell you where to find him. The answer lies in your hands. You must find it within your heart," replied the bird before he flew out.

Oscar found herself walking into Andre's room in her search for answers that seem to evade her. She believed that Andre's presence in the room would provide some enlightenment to her puzzled orientation, and provide comfort to her currently agitated state and distressed emotions. She lay on Andre's bed, hugging his pillow, seeking his warmth and presence that always gave her strength. _Andre, please. Let me find you. I love you._ Her eye caught Andre's tote on the bedside table.

She opened it and touched Andre's sword, stained with blood of beasts that he bravely slain to save her, the dagger that must have fought innumerable enemies, and witnessed every peril he faced to find her. She clutched his warrior's tote and wished it was he she was holding. She fought back the tears of longing and missing Andre but a single tear escaped and slid down her dainty cheek.

First and foremost she was a soldier before she was a lady and she will not let the tragic circumstances of her lost best friend and love to keep her locked up in her room wallowing in self-pity and regret. Like a man, she will stand up and face it. Like a born leader and warrior, she will do everything in her power to resolve it, and resolve it she shall, even if it takes her forever.


	2. Oscar meets Megara

3 Months Later...

She was pissed. Those gods don't fight fair, she thought. They were manipulative and deceitful. She was tempted to challenge every lot of them into a duel. But with all her might and good sense, she held her tongue and outrage. She knew she didn't stand a chance on the gods' unscrupulous behaviour, she might find herself turned into stone or worse, the more she would never see Andre again.

Oscar was not a bitter, cynical person but the months without success in finding the entrance to the underworld was enough to make one lose his patience and silently curse the gods who caused all the mishap in the first place.

She tied her horse in a nearby tree to quench her thirst in a well nearby. She had been travelling around Athens for three months but still had no success in finding a way to the underworld. She had been contemplating on taking a different route to Sparta and decided to rest a while.

She was brave but she wasn't fool-hardy. She knew it wasn't safe for a woman to be travelling alone in a long voyage much more going to unknown places where safety and security were uncertain. She was dressed in her soldier's uniform and her long wavy blond hair pinned up to make it appear like a man's cut. Her father offered her soldiers for company, and so did Girodelle. In fact, he offered to find Andre for her but she refused them. She was the cause of all of Andre's adversities, and she wanted to be the one to put things right for him.

A woman's petrified scream pierced the air. Oscar dropped the can of water and drew her sword. She found a monstrous hairy four-legged beast clutching a beautiful auburn haired woman who was bravely warding off the unwanted advances of the beast.

"You ugly dirty old..."

"Unhand her," commanded Oscar.

The woman and the beast stopped in their tracks and stared at Oscar in surprise.

"Mind your own business, two legs. Get your own girl" roared the beast.

"Thanks but I can handle garlic breath here," said the woman before she hit the beast as hard as she could on the face.

Oscar doubted she can handle the beast with its enormous size. It can easily crush her if it wanted to. Oscar didn't waste another moment in drawing her sword and fighting the beast. Soon, the beast realized he was no match for Oscar strength and agility, with a humph, he released the woman in a jiffy, causing her to fall rather unseemly on the dusty road with a rough thug.

Oscar held her hand to help the woman up but she pushed her hand aside and got up unceremoniously on her own. Nice disposition_, _thought Oscar sarcastically.

The woman glared after the beast as she dusted off the dirt in her long old-rose coloured dress. She wiped the grim off the side of her cheek with the hem of her dress.

Oscar felt plain looking at the woman as she compared her curvaceous figure and lustrous auburn hair tied in single ponytail held by a crimson lace to her masculine get up.

"Are you, alright?" asked Oscar kindly.

"I'm good. Thanks, my lady," said the woman dispassionately.

Oscar narrowed her eyes. "You know I'm a...?"

The woman laughed smugly.

"Please, what do you think of me? I know you're a woman...not very womanly though," she added haughtily as brushed her hair with her fingers to untangle the dirt.

Oscar felt a tinge of irritation towards the woman. Just because she wore masculine clothes and had her hair pinned like a man doesn't mean she's not womanly. She was surprised at her reaction. _Why the hell does she suddenly care what she looks like?_

"My name's Megara. What brings you here to the desert of Athens?"

"My name's Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes"

"Oohh a Frenchwoman with a man's name," uttered the woman unimpressively.

"I'm looking for my best friend Andre..."

Megara smirked, "Friend? Please, you wouldn't be travelling 10 thousand miles on foot-alone if he wasn't more than a friend. Come on admit it you have feelings for the man. But with the way you are dressed, no wonder he ran away."

Oscar was beginning to regret helping Megara.

"I beg your pardon, Andre didn't run away, and there's nothing wrong with the way I dress. This happens to show my bravery..."

"Please... you don't have to dress as a man to show you are brave and strong," replied Megara.

Megara is right, thought Oscar. She didn't dress like a man but her strong spirit was evident.

"Well, I can't go changing into a dress now. I'm on a quest...besides I don't want to attract any more danger than necessary...look what happened to you," pointed Oscar.

"You got a point," admitted Megara.

"May I take you somewhere before I go on my way?" asked Oscar.

"Nah. I'm not going anywhere in particular. I just ran away to get back at my husband Hercules," said Megara as she sat on a huge rock.

Oscar sat on the next rock beside her. "Hercules... the legendary strong warrior?"

Megara laughed. "So you do know my husband."

"I've heard of him but I haven't actually met him. I know he's a good man. Why did you run away from him?" said Oscar.

Megara stood up and kicked a couple of pebbles. "He's a good man, yes. But he's always busy defending the helpless, the damsels in distress, he doesn't have time for me... how can we start a family," she said forlornly.

"But Meg, with his super strength comes a great responsibility to others..."

"Don't you think I know that? But until when will he serve the people? He can't be responsible for everyone forever. He'll wake up one day and realized so much time had passed and he hasn't spent enough time for himself and his loved ones."

It hit a nerve. Was she always too busy and preoccupied with protecting Marie Antoinette and the Royal family that she forgot to think of herself, smell the roses, and spend time with the people who truly love her like Andre? Andre... she never gave him enough attention. Perhaps had she been more attentive to her loved ones and the people around her, she would have known clearly how Andre felt about her.

"Where do you think your Andre is? I can go with you if you like," offered Megara.

Oscar stood up. "Well, I have a feeling he's in the Underworld. That spirit of death Thanatos took him. I'll try my luck there. It isn't a safe place you know."

"I know it's not a safe place but I know the way," said Megara slyly.

"You do?" asked Oscar incredulously.

"My husband Hercules has been around..."

The two ladies began their journey together. Oscar discovered Megara wasn't so bad after all. She wasn't like the ladies of the court who thought about nothing but looking beautiful and having beautiful dresses. She liked her fiery spirit which was so much like her own. She wasn't some girl she needed to baby sit. She had proven that she was indeed an equal companion to Oscar whom she can share things with and relate to. She wasn't knowledgeable about sword fighting but she was a tough girl that wouldn't mind facing perils and getting her beautiful dress dirty. Most of all, Oscar was grateful she knew how to get to the underworld. For the first time in months her search was going somewhere.


	3. And then there were 3

Oscar and Megara got off Oscar's horse after traveling together for days. "This is as far as the horse goes. The rest of the way we must travel on foot. We're almost there. We don't want to attract attention," said Megara.

As they were trekking on the rocky terrain surreptitiously Oscar said, "It's good that you know the way to the back door."

Megara laughed in amusement. 'Who says we're going through the back door. We're going through the front."

"What! Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish? ," exclaimed Oscar.

"It's the only way I know! Sshhhh…we're here," said Megara.

They both reached a dark, damp cave that they crawled into cautiously. "Careful. Watch your head and stick to the right. There's a …."

"Ahhhhhhh!" screamed Oscar as she fell on a deep ravine.

Megara shook her head "…ravine on the left" she finished in a low voice.

"Oh boy, here comes nothing. Why does she have to take the short-cut," muttered Megara before plunging into the ravine after Oscar with a loud scream as she fell five hundred feet below after Oscar.

The ladies fell on shallow, muddy water with a thug. Oscar used to being a gentleman held her hand out to Megara to help her up but like before she pushed it away and stood up by herself. Oscar looked around and knew they were in the underworld. She could feel goose bumps all over her body and it was the most desolated and gloomy atmosphere she had ever seen. Megara noted the sober expression on her face.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," said Megara smugly.

"I hate to think of Andre spending even a minute at this dreadful place."

Megara led the way and they walked toward what seem to be the pit of the bottom of the earth. As they walk it gets more and more pitch black.

"Have you got a coin?" asked Megara.

"What do you need a coin for?" asked Oscar as she groped for a coin in her pants.

"We need to pay Charon to ferry us across the River Styx to enter the Underworld."

"What? Aren't we at the Underworld yet? asked Oscar incredulously as she continued to grope for a coin.

"I told you, you haven't seen nothing yet."

"Can't we just swim across the river?" asked Oscar.

"We can if you want the punished souls to pull you down under to be with them to be punished in eternal fire for the rest of your life," said Megara.

"I have 10 francs," said Oscar handing 2 silver five-franc coins to Megara.

The ladies went further into the dark, damp canal and soon they reached what seemed to be a murky tranquil river. Oscar thought it didn't look as menacing as how Megara described it but nonetheless, she didn't want to take the chance. But before they reach the edge of the river, on the far side on the right, they noticed a young blond girl in a long white dress similar to Megara's. She must be Greek too, thought Oscar. The young girl was bending down as though she was fixing something in her sandals, then to their horror she posed as though she was going to dive into the river.

Oscar's reflexes were quick. Before the girl could dive, she toppled her to the muddy ground.

"No!" Screamed Oscar.

"Are you as stupid as you look? You would have spent eternity boiled in burning oil even before you were judged!" snapped Megara.

The young girl looked at them with doleful eyes. She had an unassuming aura about her. Oscar thought she looked like a sweet innocent doll, her beauty was as delicate and innocent as Megara's beauty was sharp and ravishing.

"I'm sorry. I… I just want to cross the river to get to Hades. But I don't have a coin to pay for my fare," explained the girl sadly.

"Are you a new soul crossing to the world of the dead?" inquired Oscar kindly.

"No. My name is Psyche. Queen Persephone is expecting me. My mother-in-law, the goddess Aphrodite bid me to go to the Underworld and get Queen Persephone's night cream to make her more beautiful…"

"More beautiful? She's the goddess of beauty for crying out loud…" interrupted Megara.

"…otherwise I won't ever see my husband Cupid again," replied Psyche tearfully.

"Some mother-in-law you got there. She didn't even send anyone to accompany you, and she sends you to Hades and didn't even make sure you are equipped to come here for a friendly visit. Is she getting rid of you or something?" said Megara.

"Sshhh… that was mean," whispered Oscar as she elbowed Megara.

"What? I was only giving my 2 cents," she shrugged.

"It's all my fault she hated me. When my husband married me I didn't know what he looked like. We lay in the dark… that's how he wanted it. He didn't want me to see him."

"So secretive," piped in Megara with sarcasm.

Oscar gave her a look to shut up, and she just shrugged her shoulders in response.

Psyche continued, "He is kind and gentle and tells me to trust him…but my sisters were telling me he is an ugly monster…and so I took the candle one night as he slept so I could take a look at him. He was… I didn't expect him to be the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on…"

"Honey, he is the son of the goddess of beauty, why would he be anything less," muttered Megara.

"I know! I shouldn't have listened to my sisters," cried Psyche. She looked at Oscar and Megara and burst into tears.

"What's wrong? And then what? How did you end up here?" asked Oscar. She wanted to comfort the girl but she wasn't one to show too much emotion being brought up as a man.

"I…I was so dumbfounded when I saw him that I accidentally spilled the candle wax on him, waking him up. He was so angry and upset that I didn't trust him that he left me and went back to Olympus."

Psyche cried harder. "I prayed to my mother in law to help me get back my husband. She said that I must first fetch the night cream from Persephone then we'll talk."

Megara seemed to know how to handle the situation, sensing Oscar's sympathy but didn't know what to do and the young girl getting too emotional. She sighed in exasperation and hugged the girl for comfort.

"Some lot we are. We all have issues. You have trust issues, Oscar has emotional issues, and I have marriage issues. Just our luck to convene here at the gate of Hades."

"Why are you both here?" asked Psyche.

"I'm looking for my best friend," replied Oscar.

Just as Megara replied in unison, "she's looking for her boyfriend."

Oscar glared at her. "Andre is not my boyfriend!"

Megara smiled shaking her head in disapproval "tsk…tsk… issues…issues… issues. You'd sleep better at night if you could admit it to yourself."

Oscar stood tall like the army officer that she is and spoke soberly as though addressing her troop. "We haven't talked about it yet and I don't want to go around assuming he's my boyfriend."

"Please, what do you want to do-ask him-hey, Andre, are you my boyfriend? He got you out of this place didn't he? And he sold his soul to let you live didn't he? So what is that if it isn't love? Just his way of spending his coffee break?" replied Megara.

"And why are you here, Megara?" asked Psyche.

"Because she's got nothing better to do," said Oscar before turning her frown into a smile.

"For that you are right, my friend," laughed Megara.

Soon the sinister hooded figure standing in a small boat approached the riverbank. The three girls all hopped in and paid 10 francs to Charon.

"Let me warn you that anyone who is not a welcome visitor can never leave the Underworld once I crossed you over," said Charon in a low husky voice.

"I'm expected by the queen," said Psyche in a vibrant young girl's voice.

Megara smiled at Charon in sarcasm. "Thanks for the warning but we can take care of ourselves."

Charon laughed diabolically as he ferried the boat to the other side, causing Oscar's skin to crawl.

"Something tells me this won't be a walk in the park," said Oscar, just as the boat reached the other side.

As soon as the girls stepped down the boat, Charon disappeared.

"Even if we change our minds, I don't think we can go back," said Psyche.

"You girls worry too much. Relax. Don't you both want your respective husbands…"

Megara stopped dead in her tracks. She could feel something hot, a warm air that feels like an exhaust of some sort. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She saw trickles of perspiration on her hand. "Oscar, don't you feel unreasonably hot?" she asked.

Oscar was walking ahead by a few paces. "Now that you mention it, it feels like a furnace, like we're being steamed but then again we're in hell so I think it's but natural to feel some humidity," replied Oscar.

"But Hercules didn't say anything about the Underworld being hot and humid. He says it's hot if you are condemned at the circle of hell that burns the souls as punishment for their bad deeds but not the entire…"

"Yuck! Why is my perspiration sticky? Eew! What is the…" and before she could finish her sentence Psyche let out a loud shriek that could wake the dead.

Oscar and Megara glanced back and they too shrieked in surprise. Beside them was Cerberus, the ferocious gigantic three headed dog, guarding the gate of Hades so that no one who enters can ever leave. The dog was drooling, and breathing down on them, specks of its saliva were spattering on them as the dog breathes on them.

Megara and Psyche ran for their lives but Oscar, having a soldier's instinct drew her sword instead. Megara noticed that Oscar didn't run. She came back and stopped Oscar.

"Oscar! I know you're a good soldier but you are no match for that beast. If you want to see Andre, you have to stay alive! Now, come on!" cried Megara as she pulled Oscar away.

The girls ran as fast as they could to evade the ferocious dog running after them. But alas they turned into a dead end.

"Oh no, we're trapped!" cried Psyche.

Cerberus growled at them viciously. Then Oscar remembered that there were still 3 golden apples in Andre's bag which she carried on her back. A plan came into mind and she hoped that it would work. She took one apple and waved it in front of the dog.

"This is delicious, doggy."

When she noticed that she got the dog's attention. She waved it in front of it one last time before throwing it as hard as she could on the opposite side.

The girls sighed in relief as the dog ran after the golden apple.


	4. The Elysian Fields

In the deep recesses of the Underworld, the lovely trio treaded along damp, stony ground for what seemed like ages rather than a couple of minutes. The place looked deserted, for that they were relieved. It was better than running into menacing creatures that seem to want them for supper. But the feeling of safety and relief was short-lived as they gradually sense the negativity surrounding them.

The sinister and sorrowful atmosphere was alarmingly threatening. Megara tried to brush it aside but the misery and anguish engulfing her was hard to ignore.

"Don't you girls feel like weighed down by something…I don't know…emotionally heavy…"

"Agony," declared Oscar matter-of-factly.

Megara and Oscar stared at each other at the realization that something was definitely wrong. The quiet and empty surrounding was deceiving. Suddenly, Psyche burst out sobbing bitterly.

"Psyche…" Oscar gently touched her shoulder in concern.

She covered her face with her eyes as she cried. "I'll never see my husband again. I've lost Cupid. We'll never be together again!"

Oscar wanted to comfort her but she too was plagued by grief-stricken emotion that she was trying to ignore. Where was it coming from? She was not one to brood. And she was done crying her heart out for Andre. Since her quest started she had vowed to be equipped with strong determination and optimism so why the sudden melancholy if not brought about by this dreadful place.

Megara took Psyche by the shoulders and shook her. "Snap out of it! You're meeting queen Persephone and going back to your mother-in-law, and you're going to have your husband back," cried Megara.

Oscar wished there was someone who can direct them where to go. She knew that wandering around the Kingdom of the Underworld is like walking on thin ice. One false move and they're check-mate. This feeling of melancholy was so overpowering they may not have the strength to go further. She saw Megara collapsed in despair beside Psyche as she tried to fight the overwhelming depression slowly taking over. Oscar looked around in despair for some kind of relief that would aide them. Their tenacious spirit and their strong will is all they've got. They must not give in to melancholy.

She noticed a cave not far from where they sat which might serve as temporary sanctuary till they find out their exact direction.

"Megara, look, a cavern," pointed Oscar.

Without further thought or hesitation, Megara ran for the cavern with Oscar as they drag their emotionally distraught friend. Inside the dark narrow crevice they ran as fast as their legs could carry them without until they felt the air surrounding them cleared up. When the feeling of heavy depression had left them, the girls wearily collapsed on the ground, trying to catch their breath.

Psyche breathed in their new surroundings. "Where are we? Are we still in the Underworld?"

Neither Oscar nor Megara could reply as they were left breathless by their ordeal. A sturdy hand was offered to Oscar and on impulse she accepted without looking up who offered the helping hand.

"Of course, you still are inside the Underworld. There's no way out except by the ferry boat," answered a deep husky voice kindly.

The girls were startled and gave out a yelp as they looked up at the man who helped Oscar stand up. On impulse, Oscar drew out her sword and aimed it towards the man. The man was tall and muscular with long dark hair and fearsome charcoal eyes. He looked unperturbed even as Oscar aimed his sword.

Megara and Psyche gasped for as soon as Oscar aimed his sword at him, several equally virile and muscular men appeared behind him as though in support. The girls instinctively moved behind Oscar in fright.

"We're not afraid of you," yelled Oscar, assessing if she could defeat their number by herself.

The man who held his hand to Oscar bared his teeth in a wide grin as the other men gave a wry smile in amusement. The softness in their eyes made them less intimidating but nevertheless, Oscar decided to keep her stance.

"Who said you were afraid," said the man.

"Exactly who are they, invading our place and then threatening us with a sword," said another man drily.

Megara felt less threatened with their boyish grins and stepped out from behind Oscar to try and charm their way.

"We do not mean to threaten you. We were lost and stumbled upon your…your…" Megara stammered as she realized they were surrounded by good-looking warriors, and began to suspect that this might be another deceptive ploy in the Underworld to manipulate souls to do whichever purpose that would suit its ruler. She stepped back and whispered to Oscar.

"Can you honestly believe hell could house so many good-looking men?"

Oscar eyed each one suspiciously but remained silent. Megara was right, this could be a trick, thought Oscar.

Psyche looked at each one with a young girl's mild curiosity. "They're all good-looking, it's true but none of them can come close to how my husband looks," stated Psyche rather loudly that Megara covered her mouth in fear that the men would hear her remark and take offense which would worsen their already precarious situation.

One of the younger warriors recognized the spirited raven beauty and stepped toward them in delight.

"Megara," he exclaimed.

"Jason?" uttered Megara in surprise.

She suddenly felt a rush of relief as she recognized the familiar golden boy good looks of her husband's friend. They were finally safe. He welcomed Megara with a tight embrace and a disarming smile.

"Oh Megara, it is nice to see you… but… what are you doing here at the Elysian Fields?" asked Jason in mild surprise.

"Elysian Fields? But I thought were still in the Underworld?" asked Megara in confusion.

"Dear Megara," Jason answered fondly, "this is still a part of the Underworld no matter how different things look."

The girls looked around them, and before their eyes, the bleak, dark surroundings vanished. They realized that though they may have entered a dark narrow passage, the cave opened into a spring garden of lush greens, colorful flowers, and clear blue sky.

Psyche and Oscar gaped in wonder and gushed at the cheerful surroundings they thought they would never see again.

"How beautiful!" whispered Oscar.

"We're here to see Queen Persephone. Is she here? She's expecting us…Well, I mean she knows I'm coming," said Psyche.

Jason gave the young girl an amused smile. "The Queen doesn't go meeting all the spirits that arrive the Underworld."

Psyche replied in an expectant manner. "But we are not dead. We're merely here for our own personal reasons. Mine is to see the Queen and ask for her night cream for my mother-in-law Aphrodite."

Jason's brow furrowed. "How can the goddess Aphrodite send you? She knew that Queen Persephone won't be here. It is the time of year that she spends with her mother Demeter. You got to wait for another month till the summer season is over, then she will be back."

Psyche fell in tears upon hearing the news. Oscar comforted her friend with a good pat on the back to give her courage despite the bad news. She let her guard down upon discovering they were among friends and Megara knew one of them personally.

Megara was silent for sometime, stunned with the peacefulness and beauty that she assimilated around her.

"I don't understand. Why is this place any different?" said Megara in confusion, unable to believe such a beautiful place existed in the Underworld.

"This is the place where the souls of dead heroes and warriors go to when they enter the Underworld. It's like a reward for all the good things they have done and the difficult tasks they have accomplished," explained the man whom Oscar threatened with her sword. He was older by a good ten years than Jason.

"Megara, this is Odysseus. He knew your husband as well. If there is a boiling pit for traitors and a sea of anguish for murderers, there is an Elysian Fields for heroes," continued Jason.

"If you say this place is for heroes and warriors, might my friend Andre be here?" asked Oscar hopefully.

"We are looking for my friend Oscar's boyfriend. His name is Andre. He is a warrior of the French Army… must have arrived here a couple of months back…" said Megara.

Odysseus looked at Jason before answering them. "Might you be referring to a French warrior with long jet black hair and green eyes…died for love."

Oscar swallowed hard and replied passionately. "Yes, it is he. Is he here now? May I see him?"

In sheer relief and joy, Oscar collapsed into her friend's arms and cried, "Megara, at last, my quest has ended. I have found Andre." Tears of joy rolled down her dainty cheeks as she relished the comfort of her friend's embrace. Megara swallowed hard as she ran her fingers on Oscar's golden mane. She could see Odysseus and Jason eyeing each other solemnly and she knew that Oscar's hardship and pain isn't over yet. Her heart broke for her friend. She wished she knew how to tell her without breaking her heart.

"Oscar…" she began gently but unable to continue.

Odysseus spoke. "I'm afraid he is no longer here. He was for a short time slave to Death but the Queen intervened and he was placed among us. But his tragic love story moved the goddess Aphrodite and gave him another chance to love. He was taken from here and brought back to the world of the living but to where, we do not know."

"I am not leaving until I spoke to the Queen. I'm here to take her night cream to my mother-in-law and I that I shall, even if I wait till the end of summer," interrupted Psyche stubbornly.

"You need not be stubborn about it. You're all really staying here until the Queen gets back, whether you like it or not," stated Jason matter-of-factly.

"Why? Don't we have a choice in the matter?" asked Megara.

"Nobody leaves this place-dead or alive. Except through the Queen's permission," explained Odysseus.

"You did say you were friends with her, aren't you?" smiled Jason.

Oscar felt as though she aged several years for each day she spent searching for Andre. She sighed and told herself she had no choice but to hold on to her determination to find him longer, even if it takes a lifetime. She found hope and joy in the strength of her love for Andre. The immense joy of seeing him again, and joining him in the land of the living was so rewarding that the tremendous wait in the Underworld seem nothing but a breather to Oscar. Whatever remaining obstacles that may lie ahead would be nothing but a piece of cake to Oscar, or so she thought. But the adversary waiting back in the land of the living was something she never bargained for.


	5. Are you not Andre?

Up the mountains of Sparta, the wind gushed stealthily like kisses of a goddess on the cheek of an unsuspecting mountain shepherd, as Oscar pulled all her strength to cross the other side of Mt. Teygetus. She hadn't had a decent meal in days, if not for the thick coat Megara gave her she would not have survived a week travelling from Athens to Sparta. Her love for Andre kept her going. She wondered what his first words would be the moment he sets his eyes on her. She thought of how she would bathe him with kisses and repeatedly whisper in between breaths just how much she loved him. With these thoughts, as she looked out the chilly afternoon horizon, she fell asleep nestled beneath an enormous Sycamore, thoughts of Andre kept her warm as her wearied body gave in to the desperately needed rest.

She was hot and cold all over, her body quivering and perspiring in the cold night as she gasped for air, desperately struggling for breath, longing for a safe haven to cling on to. Without realizing, tears stream down from her sapphire blue eyes. She felt alone…weary and frightened…

Suddenly, once again, she was before the goddess Aphrodite, kneeling before her with her friend Psyche when she called her mother-in-law upon their return to the land of the living. Oh how she hated the goddess. Oh how she longed to throw the thousand angry words and curses running through her head as she spoke indignantly to Oscar.

"_You do not deserve him. And as he had shown love of great boundaries, I have given him a gift. I have granted him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. Save yourself the tears and go back to France. He shall not want you."_

With matching impertinence and hostility, Oscar replied: "Though you are the goddess of love, you have no right to decide what man deserves or does not deserve. Let Andre choose what he wants for himself. Let him decide what he deserves or doesn't deserve. He loves me and no matter what you do, he shall always love me…"

And as Oscar continued to struggle for breath, and fight every tremor that engulf her exhausted body, she could hear the malicious laugh of Aphrodite, reverberating over and over until it became a deafening echo that filled her with dread.

An aroma of freshly baked bread and robust smell of coffee awakened her senses. She was suddenly aware of something soft from which her cheek lay, and a warm soft cover caressing her skin. She sighed at the coziness. She couldn't remember the last time she lay on a warm bed. She was about to snuggle more comfortably when realization hit her that she was in the mountains of Sparta, and far from the comforts of home. She sat up and instinctively groped for her sword usually beside her, but she grasped nothing and instead hit the back of her hand on a wooden table beside the bed.

She uttered a low cry more in surprise than in pain. She glanced around her surroundings and found herself in a modest hut. The bustle outside the hut told her she was in town, surrounded by community. The hut was clean, although a bit topsy-turvy. Clothes were haphazardly hanged or folded all over the place. She saw her own garments on top of the chair, making her aware that she was naked beneath the covers. She gasped and held on to the blanket tighter as she searched for her tote and her sword. She desperately tried to remember what transpired last night. How did she end up here without her remembering?

She was more concerned about the golden apples and the arrow inside Andre's tote than what might have happened to her last night. Surely no harm had befallen her. She was feeling better and rested than she had in months. Before she could dress-up or move about the hut in search of her sword, a man dressed in a Greek warrior's uniform entered the hut but as the bed is adjacent to the door, Oscar saw him first. She stared at the all too familiar broad back and long raven hair tousled by the wind so attractively. He went straight for the cupboard and took out what seemed to be his dagger and sheathe it on his side. He turned around and saw a bewildered Oscar sitting up on the bed, holding onto the blanket for dear life. His beautiful green eyes lit up with warmth and kindness as his red lips formed into a charming smile.

"Andre!" exclaimed Oscar in overwhelming joy.

"Yes, my name is Andre. Do I know you? How do you know my name?" he asked in a gentle manner as he sat at the edge of the bed, pushing back a strand of her blond hair behind her ear.

Oscar was both stunned and hurt that Andre did not recognize her, and in awe at the close proximity they shared while she was in a nearly naked state that she didn't manage to utter a reply. Confusion and mixed emotions clouded her thoughts and Andre noticed the bewilderment reflected in her clear blue eyes.

"I was out hunting in the mountains when a storm came up and I found you barely conscious on the ground. I took you home. You were feverish and delirious. I'm glad you look fine now," said Andre as he brushed the side of her face with his fingers.

He took a dress from a little basket and gave it to Oscar. "I have a few dresses for you. I noticed you were garbed in men's clothes. Where are you from anyway? I know my place is not much but it's better than sleeping out in the cold."

Oscar was still speechless as she looked at Andre imploringly. "Aren't you going to say anything?" smiled Andre.

"I'm on going to the palace and resume my post. I have prepared you something to eat. I won't be back till tomorrow morning. We can talk then. Rest well to regain your strength. Don't be afraid. No one will harm you here."

Andre flashed her another disarming smile before running out the door. Oscar sighed and thanked the stars that her arduous search for Andre was finally over. She refused to give up and accept defeat despite learning that Aphrodite had given Andre the love of the most beautiful woman in the land. She could not remember how long she had been journeying to Sparta where the said maiden was to be found. But she felt all the more optimistic since fate brought them together last night. Oscar almost mocked the goddess. She and Andre were destined to be together and no one, not even the goddess of love can keep them apart. Or so she thought… nothing prepared her for what she would soon discover.


	6. In the face of adversity

With enough courage Oscar did her best to suppress the unhappiness she felt, and to devise how to earn back the love Andre once held for her. Indeed she had found Andre, or rather literally, Andre found her, deliriously sick up the mountains, yet despite their being together once again, she felt alone. It had been months since he took her in, and he had never been remiss in taking care of her but the devotion and quiet affection, the love and the fondness in his eyes were no longer present.

He was kind, gentle, and thoughtful to her, but she knew she meant nothing more than a sister he wanted to care for, a friend and confidante he shares his day with. Andre was away most of the time. He stays at the palace of King Menelaus, and wouldn't come home for two or three days till his duty was over. Oscar would eagerly wait for his return, hoping that when he returns, perhaps, his love and memory of her would return too. She never thought she'd miss the love and adoration in his eyes every time he would look at her, now all she could see was his brotherly affection and kindness. She would do anything to have them back.

Oscar sighed as she cleaned the house and put the dishes away. She supposed she ought to be grateful, she thought. Things could have been worse than Andre's brotherly affection. He could be in love with the most beautiful woman in the land. Oscar dropped a plate and it shattered into tin pieces on the cemented floor. She tried harder to push the thought away, to fight against the anxiety, but the worry would not ebb. She stared at the broken pieces and wondered if it was a metaphor of their broken love.

She took hold of herself. She was a warrior and she never let anything stood in her way, never thought any obstacle was too difficult or too dangerous. She always conquered them. She always defeated her foes and opponents alike, and this time, she vowed, would not be any different. No matter what, she would earn back Andre's love. And what better way can she spend more time with him to regain their closeness but to work side by side with him at the army of King Menelaus of Sparta. And maybe, just maybe, fate would step in and Andre would see just how right she was for him.

She decisively strode over to the palace, her sword in hand, with a fierce determination of getting herself part of the King's army. She knew it would be a challenge as even back in France it was a feat to be a lady warrior, and she wasn't sure how the Greeks would take it, especially a French woman warrior at that.

She reached the Palace drawbridge by noon, and she announced herself to the Captain of the Guards.

"I'm Brigadier Oscar Francois of the French Army. I wish to speak to King Menelaus," she announced confidently.

The guard eyed Oscar's long curly blond hair and willowy white cotton dress and laughed.

"And I am the Prince of Whales. Come on, lady, beat it. The King will see no one, especially a common woman with no busy here."

Oscar drew her sword. "I do not wish to be violent. I only wanted to speak with the King."

The guard retorted, " I don't want to have to raise my hand against a woman. Now leave!"

Without further adieu, Oscar uncaringly walked toward the Palace and the guard tried to hit her in order to stop he from going further but Oscar was quicker, she managed to ward of his blow and scratch him with the tip of her sword before proceeding inside. Before Oscar could get any further, more warriors came to stop her. Each one was stunned for a moment at her beautiful feminine appearance that hesitation to fight her appeared briefly in their thoughts, but once they have established her tenacity and skill in holding a sword, they fought her with all their might. But despite their huge number, they were no match for the excellent French swordsman. Oscar fought her way towards the courtroom where the throne was. To her dismay it was empty but she wasn't disheartened. She came to speak with the King and she won't leave until she does.

As she continued to unarm each man, and prevent her dress from being torn and slashed any further, she didn't notice the appearance of King Menelaus until he called the brawl into a halt. All the shabby soldiers obeyed. Oscar directed her self-assured gaze to the King before kneeling before him, and waited for him to address her before she informed him of her intent.

King Menelaus was astounded with Oscar's excellent skills. He had never seen a woman who could defeat so many warriors solely by herself. This concerned him. If she was sent to kill him, she might possibly succeed. With this thought, to everyone's surprise including Oscar's, the king took his sword and aimed directly at Oscar while she was unaware, causing a gasp from spectators.

But Oscar wasn't harmed. Andre's reflexes were faster. His sword shielded Oscar from the blow.

"My king, forgive her impertinence, but this is my ward. Please do not punish or kill her. I shall take responsibility for her actions," said Andre.

King Menelaus was appeased. "You are my trusted right hand. If you say she will bring no chaos and destruction to my kingdom, I believe you. But I want her out of my sight…."

Andre bowed politely, " as you wish…"

"No!" exclaimed Oscar.

"I came before you, King Menelaus, for I seek to be of service to you. I would like to be a part of your army. Please… this I humbly request…" continued Oscar.

For the first time the king smiled. It would be good to have such a skillful warrior on his side to defend him.

"Very well then, it shall be granted," said the king before taking his exit.

Oscar stood up and was about to take her leave with a triumphant smile when out of the corner of her eye, she saw the adversary she had long been afraid of. The haunting fear was no longer a shadow. She felt the mounting dread gnawing fiercely at her gut, her heart breaking into tiny little pieces. She felt pain she never thought existed.

How many times had Andre looked at her with the same tenderness and affection? How many times had she heard his voice timbre with unspoken love when speaking to her? How many times had he stood beside her in his quiet confident stance with the protectiveness that not a hair in your head will be harmed? At a single glance Oscar knew who she was… even before Andre spoke.

"Oscar, this is our queen- Helen," said Andre as he escorted the tall, svelte figure crowned with jewels and gold.

The queen smiled warmly at Oscar. "I hope you will like working in our army. You do fight rather well. You will do excellently."

It tore Oscar's heart twice the more when the affectionate look the queen gave Andre did not escape her watchful eye. She knew it wasn't an unrequited love. Though her heart was breaking, she held up a straight face at the queen as she gave her respect.

"Never was a queen more beautiful and graceful," said Andre admiringly before kissing her bare hand.

"You flatter me, brave warrior," replied the queen with much familiarity.

Andre escorted the queen back to her chambers as Oscar followed them with a forlorn look long after they have gone. Although she got what she came for, she succeeded in securing a post in the king's army, she didn't feel quite so triumphant. She defeated all the warriors in combat, yet, it felt like she lost. She told herself she wasn't going to cry. She shall face it like a man.


	7. Love and Jealousy

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, towards a direction she wasn't entirely sure, and didn't entirely care. Her tears blinded her as the wind blew strongly against her face, yet she kept running as though running could take her away from the pain, away from the reality that stung, a reality she wasn't prepared to accept-that Andre was in love with another woman. She wished the tears that clouded her vision, would somehow cloud her heart from the harsh reality of losing the love of the man she loved.

She ran until her legs could no longer carry her, and she fell beside a lake, sobbing in her hands. Still clouded with tears, she glanced upon the crystal clear water and remembered the years past where she played with Andre on the river near the Jarjeyes Mansion, moments where they competed against each other or boasted their own swimming skills. She let her tears fall on the lake as each drop muddled her reflection in the water. If only she could make Andre love her again.

At times she felt she was better off staying in the cottage where Andre would come home a couple of times a week and tell her all about the exciting things that happened while he was away. Being close to him at the palace had his illicit affair with the queen constantly witnessed by her own eyes. At first, she felt the affair was something she could dismiss, something she would be indifferent about, after all, she was not one to have strong dramatic feelings, but she was wrong. Seeing Andre's constant affection and devotion to the queen and her special fondness and overt, albeit somewhat subtle, attraction for him was tearing her apart.

Was she better off not knowing? She had always believed it is better to know one's enemies, it is better to know one's task at hand in order to prepare what to do, but despite of knowing what she was up against, her hands were tied. She didn't know how to handle the situation. Spite! She didn't even know how to handle her love for Andre.

Her sobbing have gradually subsided but she opted to stay lying down on her stomach by the side of the lake, meditating, listening to the soft chirping of the birds and bustling of the wind, the quiet ripples of the lake keeping her company when her senses were alerted by the sound of crunching leaves and rustling twigs.

She found renewed strength in the knowledge of another presence. She immediately up on her feet and cautiously looking around, her sword ready by her side.

From the foot of the hill where she stood, Oscar could clearly see the soldier stealthily stalking Andre as he was walking by the woods, apparently looking for something. The soldier was ready to pounce on him upon a glimpse of opportunity. Where was Queen Helen? She left them together at some distant side of the woods before she ran off in tears.

Oscar knew Andre had keen senses but the presence of a fellow soldier in the army of King Menelaus would not arise any suspicion to an impending danger. But upon her observance of some fifteen minutes past, it was evident the soldier had Andre's demise in mind. Oscar could see him fumbling for his weapon.

Oscar's arrow hit the soldier before he could strike his dagger on Andre. The soldier was killed instantly, toppling forward at Andre's feet. Andre recognized Oscar's arrow with it's Jarjeyes emblem and French flag engraved at the edge.

"Oscar!" he yelled disconcertingly.

Oscar came into view and silently approached Andre.

"What is this, Oscar? You stroke a fellow soldier!" reproached Andre.

"He was going to hurt you had I not came across him by chance," explained Oscar nonchalantly.

Suddenly Queen Helen came into view, apparently hearing Oscar's words. She ran to bury herself in Andre's arms, her cheek firmly pressed against his chest.

"Oh, Andre, what means all this? You left me in Garth's care but he left me to follow you, and now he is dead in attempt to kill you. Oh Andre I'm just glad you are alive," cried the queen.

Oscar caught Andre's eyes as he looked at her in disappointment. They both knew Andre went searching for her when she ran off in tears. It was not the first time she displayed a reproachful and somewhat jealous behavior only both of them knew about. Oscar had not addressed Andre in days but she accompanied him that day in the woods together with some soldiers, not knowing the queen will be there as well. Her presence had upset her, specially the sight of the handkerchief she tightly held to her bosom.

A couple of days back they were in the market place in the plaza. It was their time off their duty from the palace and they were both looking around the market when Andre saw a beautiful embroidered handkerchief. Oscar heard his exclamation of beauty about the kerchief and how delighted he was when he purchased the dainty garment. Oscar smiled to silently to herself as she was browsing through a weapon stall a few feet from Andre, she knew she was going to get a nice present from him that evening, after all, he did love her like his sister, that she knew from the way he was protective of her during combat exercises, and soldier duties and responsibilities.

Oscar smiled with fondness, Andre must have forgotten, together with his memory of France, how capable she was to handle hard, heavy and even dangerous responsibilities, and how excellent a soldier she was when it came to combat. Nonetheless, she enjoyed his attention, and his protectiveness. He even warned his fellow soldiers to keep their distance from his ward.

Oscar wanted to tell him, she needed not any protection from anything. She was capable of warding off any unwanted attention from the opposite sex, as she only wanted one man's attention, and that is Andre's.

But to her dismay, he gave nothing to her that evening in the cottage. Neither did he say anything about a handkerchief the next morning. But that afternoon, upon their return to the palace, she caught Andre strolling by the palace gardens with the queen. They sat by the fountain, completely unaware of being observed by Oscar. Andre pulled out the beautiful intricately embroidered handkerchief and feigned wiping the queen's brow with it before giving it to her. She smiled in obvious delight, from the nice present or from the kiss that brushed her hand as Andre offered the present, whichever, Oscar wasn't sure but she knew there wasn't a drop of sweat on the queen's brow which Andre needed to wipe. He bought it with her in mind!

"Such an open present to the queen would surely arouse suspicion," she warned Andre with a touch of jealousy in her tone that Andre didn't miss.

"No one knows I gave it to her but you," answered Andre coldly as he sat on the couch inside the room he shared with Oscar in the Palace.

Having one of the high positions in the palace army entitled him his own quarters, on Oscar's arrival he insisted she take his room while he joins the rest of the soldiers in the barracks but Oscar wouldn't hear of it. They reached a compromise to share the room as it was big enough for two. The furniture and the oriental divider which served as a cover in the event that Oscar needed to dress both served as partition. Oscar took the double bed while Andre slept on the large couch by the window.

The attitude of being in charge was still in Oscar, forgetting that in Greece, she was but a subordinate. She spoke with belligerence. "A woman who can be unfaithful to her husband, the king at that, doesn't deserve anyone's admiration."

"Stop talking about being unfaithful! If there was anyone being unfaithful, it's me. I betrayed my king, my country by loving the queen…"

"He is not your king. Greece is not your country. And it is not your fault you fell in love but it was she who should not have entertained you. She is a married woman!"

Andre stood up in a bit of a temper. "Oscar! How many times must I tell you, I am not the Frenchman you seek. I am Greek and I am in love with my queen. I love you like a sister, and you know you are welcome under my care but if you wish to go and search for your Frenchman, I will not stop you, and neither can you stop me from loving Helen."

Oscar kept to her side of the room that night. She spoke not a word to Andre for three days until that confrontational moment in the woods.

Oscar gave a disapproving glance at Helen who was tightly clinging to Andre and pressing herself firmly on his chest before meeting Andre's eye, her spirit and temper not diminishing a bit.

"I warned you the king might find out about it," said Oscar dispassionately but her eyes held the flame of anger and jealousy.

"Stop it, Oscar!" said Andre. He didn't want them to argue in front of Helen.

"How would you explain Garth attempting to kill you?" challenged Oscar.

"He wanted my position. He wanted the king's favor, and the subordination of all the soldiers. That is all there is to it," said Andre.

Oscar remained unfazed and unmoving. "That is all there is to it," repeated Andre before heading back to the group on the other side of the woods.

Oscar heaved a heavy sigh and followed close behind Andre and Helen.


	8. The Prophecy

She wearily leaned against the huge trunk of an old oak tree trying to catch her breath. She furrowed at the gentle sun peeping behind huge cotton-like cumulus clouds as her dainty fingers exhaustingly pushed away a strand of black hair that fell across her eyes. I think I've lost him, she thought in relief. She untangled her pale crimson dress that caught its hem on a spiky cactus flower. I must reach Sparta before the sun sets, she sighed as she pushed herself another step up the steep mountainous terrain but before she could take another step further she yelped in astonishment as her path was blocked by a massive solidly muscled chest that almost collided with her nose.

After she got over her initial fright, she rolled her eyes wryly as she stared up at the all too familiar towering 6 foot '5, dark, long haired warrior glowering over her.

"You are not getting your way that easily, Megara. I'll drag you back home if I have to," said Hercules as he purposefully blocked his wife's path.

Megara flipped her dark hair and sighed as she slumped on a nearby rock in exasperation. "Listen, Hercules, I must get to Sparta and warn my friend Oscar…"

Hercules gently shook his wife's shoulders, "Warn her about what? What's going to happen is going to happen and there's nothing any of us can do about it. I just don't want you caught in the middle of all these chaos," said Hercules, his amber eyes filled with concern.

Megara sank into her husband's arms. She must appeal to his heart if not to his reason. "You have always been there for your friends in need. I know you would understand my position. And even if Oscar is a foreigner, she is my friend and I want to be there for her, if there is anything at all that I can do for her, I want to do it."

Hercules tightened his embrace to Megara as he ran his fingers in her long dark mane. He knew she was right about helping out a friend but he was afraid for her, afraid that she would enrage the gods with her interference but he knew no matter what happens, he will stand by her.

"Alright. You win. We go to Sparta and warn Oscar about the coming war so she could go back to France and save herself. That's it. No monkey business, Megara. None of your wild schemes, understand?" warned Hercules sternly.

* * *

"You are insane!"

Angry, bitter tears started falling from her sapphire blue eyes without her noticing it. The last five minutes of their conversation was cutting into her like a knife. Not only was his love for Helen killing her but his ludicrous plans were going to get him killed. Has he completely lost it? It was one thing to try and keep an illicit affair with the queen but to run off with her right under the noses of the king and his subjects wasn't only absurd, it was war.

"I never expected you to understand, Oscar. You have never been happy for me and Helen…"

"Understand? What is there to understand, Andre? You have not only been committing adultery, now you want to cause disorder in this country!"

Andre remained unmoved by Oscar's outburst, his eyes staring out the bedroom window to the lush forest hills shrouded by the late afternoon mist. How he longed to take Helen away… away to the other side of those mountains and out of Sparta where they can be free.

His thoughts were distracted by Oscar's gentle touch on his shoulder. He looked down on her beautiful face, her lips slightly quivering as though stopping herself from crying, her clear blue eyes, shimmering like sapphire crystals as they looked at him pleadingly.

"This is not the Andre I know. This is not you, Andre. The Andre I love is just. He is compassionate. He would never do anything that would hurt his fellowmen…especially he would not accept wrong for right."

He took Oscar's hand that rested on his shoulder and squeezed it passionately as he held her gaze, "That Andre you speak of doesn't exist. I am neither gallant nor noble. I am only a man in love with his queen. I'm sorry Oscar. Helen and I must flee soon. King Menelaus would have his suspicions confirmed soon but before that happens Helen and I will be in France. Free from the chains of this kingdom."

Oscar sat on the edge of a cliff looking out into the horizon. The beautiful dancing colors of grey, orange, and mauve as the sun sets failed to cheer her up. If only she could wake up from this nightmare. She noticed a four-leaf clover by the grassy ground where she sat. She plucked it and closed her eyes for a moment as she twirled the clover on her fingers.

"You'll get your wish sooner than expected," went a slightly husky voice from behind her.

Oscar jumped up in delight at the sight of her friend. "Megara! It's so wonderful to see you," she said. She would have jumped into her arms but she was reserved, her emotions in reign, just not lately where Andre is concerned, so she gave her friend a firm handshake and jolly pat on the back.

"I have not seen you in months since we got out of the Underworld. I followed your advice and went back home to my husband. You're right, he was worried sick. We got to talking and all is well."

Oscar smiled warmly. "I'm glad everything worked out between you. I haven't the pleasure of meeting your husband Hercules."

"He's here with me, at the palace of King Menelaus. We had to pledge allegiance to the king. I asked the people where I could find you and so I left him with all their pleasantries and went looking for you."

Megara eyed Oscar's soldier uniform with distaste. "I see you're back to wearing breeches again."

"I have to. I'm a soldier at the king's court… Oh Megara. I know not by whose curse but Andre doesn't remember me or anything about the past. It's as if he had a different life… and you haven't heard the worse of it…"

Megara suddenly became solemn and grabbed Oscar's shoulders to have her look into her eyes, before interrupting her. "Listen, Oscar… I came here to tell you… you must know…"

"Know what?" asked Oscar in confusion.

Megara stuttered in worry. "The oracle… there was a prophecy…"

* * *

Hercules shook hands with King Menelaus' right hand man as they were introduced. He was tall and broad although not as muscled and tall as he was. His hair too was long like his but the man's hair was raven black while his own was a chocolate brown. The man uttered a friendly greeting. His grip was firm, and his emerald eyes were attesting his smart and confident countenance. Even before he said his name, he immediately knew this was his wife's friend's man, the love she went searching for in the world of Hades.

"Welcome to Sparta, Hercules," said Andre.

Before Hercules could reciprocate a warm greeting, his jaw dropped as the prophecy played in his mind.

_"A woman with a hair the color of the sun and the eyes the color of the sea whose beauty was beyond compare shall be the downfall of France, and the discord in the Kingdom of Sparta"_

"This is Queen Helen of Sparta," said Andre formally but the affectionate gleam in their eyes as Helen and Andre's eyes passed each other briefly didn't escape Hercules. We are in big trouble.

* * *

Megara was steaming mad. "So she is the one. That harlot of a queen! She's going to cause this war."

She was angry. She could see the pain in Oscar's eyes as she told her about Andre and Helen. She wanted to ease her friend's pain and reassure her that all will be well but she wasn't sure herself if they could actually fix this madness. She held Oscar's hand and pressed it, a simple gesture of comfort as they both look into the colorful horizon.

The chilly wind blew harder and Oscar brushed her blond curls away from her face as she stared gratefully at her friend holding her hand beside her. "Thank you for coming all the way here to warn me about the prophecy."

She gave a deep sigh. "It confirmed what I fear. If Andre and Helen ran away then King Menelaus would surely wage war against France… I wish there was something I could do. I wish I could take out whatever spell Andre is in so he would stop loving Helen...and if only he could love me again."

Suddenly Megara's eyes lit up. "There is one way to break the spell and have him fall madly in love with you again. We just need a little reinforcement from our dear friend Psyche."


	9. Fate or Farce

She whistled a happy tune as she polished the altar in Aphrodite's Temple. Despite her mother-in-laws ill intent by sending her to the Underworld to bid her visit the Queen of the Underworld, Psyche remained sweet and gentle in her disposition toward the goddess. It had been months since her successful and happy return back to her small town in Athens with her new found friends Megara and Oscar. She loved her husband Cupid and for that she had accepted and lived with Aphrodite's hostile treatment towards her. The important thing was she once again earned her husband's trust.

The sight of the various beautiful flowers offered by the people praying to Aphrodite reminded Psyche of the field of wild flowers, the first thing she and her friends Megara and Oscar saw when they emerged from the Underworld after being trapped for a month in the midst of the heroes in the Elysian Fields. Oh how she missed her friends! She never really had any before she met them. Her cruel and malicious sisters were all she had growing up until Cupid fell in love with her.

She touched the white petals of the lilies that reminded her of the dangerous poppies that made them hallucinate in the Underworld, so beautiful yet so dangerous. Something she could say about her mother-in-law as well. The overwhelming feeling of loneliness suddenly engulfed her. If only she could see her friends once again, she sighed. And as though an answered prayer, she heard Oscar's accented voice call out her name. She looked up and found her friends standing by a pillar with a warm welcoming smile.

"Oscar! Megara! I'm so glad to see you," she exclaimed as she rushed to them with a bare hug.

"I can't believe you're here at Aphrodite's Temple after she tried to get rid of you that way!" said Megara as she rolled her eyes in distaste.

"Ssshhh! We don't want her to expel Hercules' love for you, do we?" warned Psyche.

Megara's eyes softened, and turned solemn. "We're sorry to visit you because of such dire circumstances but that's exactly what Aphrodite did with Andre! She drove out Andre's love for Oscar and made him fall in love with Helen of Sparta."

Psyche looked at Oscar's solemn teary blue eyes as though pleading and confused, uncertain of what to do. She remembered how Oscar comforted her in the Underworld. How she held her hand to make her stronger during those moments when she thought it was the end because of her tragic situation. Now that the tables have turned, she wanted to give her friend the hope and strength to fight her unfortunate situation.

"I wish we came on happier circumstances. But… I need your help. Not only has Andre fallen in love with another but he couldn't remember me, he's in some kind of spell. Worse, his fool-hardiness of running away with the Spartan Queen may incite war between France and Sparta. Help me, please. Perhaps I can assuage Aphrodite's wrath…"

"Unfortunately, I have never heard of an instance my mother-in-law has forgiven any mortal whom she felt injured her, I'm sorry Oscar. But you can try. You can give homage at the temple. We will pray with you…"

Two weeks have passed but Aphrodite still remained unmoved by Oscar's tears and prayers. Oscar would still have stayed in the temple to plead even if it would take forever if it would mean having Andre's love back but the arrival of a fateful letter from Hercules, delivered by his winged-horse Pegasus to Megara called for some drastic action.

Megara crumpled the letter in her hands upon reading it before rushing to Oscar's side. "This is unspeakable. Andre left the castle with Helen in the middle of the night. It would be a matter of hours before King Menelaus discovers they have gone. We must do something! We cannot keep praying when our prayers fall on deaf ears."

Oscar burst into tears. "What must I do?"

She disliked feeling helpless as she had never felt more helpless in her entire life. If this was punishment for the way she had returned Andre's selfless love for her, she had suffered enough. She just wanted right everything that went wrong in their lives.

Megara and Psyche were looking at each other forlornly that they didn't notice Psyche crept beside them stealthily.

"Cupid could not reverse his mother's unkindly doing. Either that or he was afraid to against his mother. He would not help us. He didn't think either that Oscar deserved Andre…"

With each word that passed Psyche's lips Megara and Oscar felt more and more disheartened. Fresh tears welled up in Oscar's eyes until the sight of something magically gleaming in Psyche's hand, caught their eyes as she continued.

"… but I couldn't just let Oscar become miserable for the rest of her life. I need to do something. And last night while Cupid was asleep, I crept slowly and took two of his arrows."

Oscar and Megara were dumbfounded as they stared in awe when Psyche handed the magnificent looking arrow that was potent enough to make anyone fall hopelessly in love. Cupid's arrow… everyone would kill to have it in their possession, a special gift once given by Cupid to Andre to help him gain Oscar's love which he unfortunately had to give up to the oracle to save Oscar's life. Now it was Oscar who's in possession of this arrow. Will the arrow finally mend their broken love?

"Why two? We only need one," asked Megara.

"Just in case we missed. We can't run all the way back to get another. Now, we have room for one error," said Psyche all pleased with herself, grinning with her sweet young girl's smile.

Oscar was filled with hope and joy as she and her friends carried the magical Cupid's arrow back to Sparta. But unfortunately, fate had other plans...

* * *

As Pegasus glided for a smooth but swift landing to the mountains, Oscar, Megara and Psyche could see the army of King Menelaus scattered around the mountain, and more soldiers departing from the castle in their haste to find the queen.

"We must find Andre and Helen before they find them," said Oscar.

Megara searched intently for Hercules towering figure. They must speak to him in order to get a clearer picture of events and she must ensure that he is not fighting for the side of the king. After minutes of circling the air on a low altitude, the girls soon found Hercules.

"Hercules! I told you to keep an eye on Andre!" scolded Megara as she gave her husband a stern look but ended up in an affectionate hug.

"I did! He knew I was onto him and I have been preventing his elopement with Helen. But he spiked my wine with a sleeping potion and the next thing I knew they were gone!"

"Do you think they have reached France by now?" asked Psyche in worry.

"No. It's too far. It will take them weeks or even a month by foot," explained Hercules.

Their conversation was interrupted by a woman's piercing scream from a nearby brooke. They immediately knew that Andre and Helen had been found. They rushed towards the east where loud clanking of swords could be heard. Andre and King Menelaus were in an intensive spar that left the onlookers breathless. But a couple of soldiers were dutiful enough to try and help the king by attempting to kill Andre themselves, making him outnumbered in the duel. The girls fell to the side watching in awe, as Hercules decided to aid by taking on some of the soldiers to make the match equal.

As Andre was about to pierce the sword into King Menelaus' heart, two soldiers held him back to save the king, and Andre was suddenly at their mercy. Everything went fast, as soon as the soldiers held Andre, giving King Menelaus the advantage, he aimed his sword to Andre's heart.

Oscar ran to Andre's side. "No! Andre!" she screamed in fright as she engulfed him in her arms.

Out of reflex to save a friend, Hercules took the nearest weapon available to save Andre in the nick of time. Psyche was nearby with two arrows in hand and he immediately took one and shot it with his bow to King Menelaus to wound him before he could hurt Andre.

The King was stunned and dropped his sword. In haste to avenge his wounded king, a soldier took the other arrow in Psyche's possession, intending to kill Andre, shot him with it. Oscar hugged him tighter. "Oh Andre, I love you," cried Oscar as she burried her face in his neck.

To her astonishment, Andre's warm baritone voice replied, "You need not love me, Oscar. My love for you is enough for both of us. Run through fire, I will not for anything in the world, cease to love you and protect you with my life."

King Menelaus was groping his chest as he lay beside them bewildered but both of them were oblivious to the king's presence beside them.

Oscar's heart skipped a beat as she assimilated what she just heard. She felt Andre's gentle fingers touch her chin as he slowly brought her face up to meet his enchanting green eyes that were filled with love and warmth once again. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand as his other hand held her tighter against his body. He was gradually descending his lips down hers for gentle kiss when Oscar was suddenly yanked away from him and a sharp sword slashed his shoulder.

Oscar screamed in astonishment as King Menelaus dragged her to his side. He was standing over andre ready to slash him with his sword once again.

"How dare you try to kiss her. She is mine and only mine. No man shall live who hath dare to take her from me! Oscar is mine and no one can keep her from me," shouted the king.

Psyche and Megara stared dumbfounded with the situation.

"Oh no! this cannot be!" cried Psyche.

Megara heaved a deep sigh as she sat on a huge stone in defeat. "This is just incredible! Oh gods forbid!"

Hercules stared at them in confusion.

"What is going on?" cried Hercules.

Megara buried her face in her hands before replying helplessly, "You struck the king with Cupid's arrow and now he is in love with Oscar."

Andre was up on his feet and started another swordfight with King Menelaus. "Unhand her. She shall not be yours, Menelaus. As long as there is breath in my body, you shall not have her," cried Andre as he launched towards the king.

"And therefore you must die, for I intend to have her," said King Menelaus.

"I shall fight you, Menelaus with every warrior in France. We shall not let you shame our Brigadier Oscar de Jarjeyes. You are a married man! The French army will be at your throat!" declared Andre as his sword angrily slashed with the king's.

"Nothing can keep me from marrying Oscar. Not even the queen."

Hercules touched Megara's shoulder solemnly. "The prophecy..."

_"A woman with a hair the color of the sun and the eyes the color of the sea whose beauty was beyond compare shall be the downfall of France, and the discord in the Kingdom of Sparta"_

Hercules stared at the beautiful Queen Helen, her hair the colour of gold. Her dark chocolate brown eyes filled with tears in disbelief as she watched in awe the drama transpiring before her.

"It was not Helen, the prophecy spoke of... but Oscar,' he uttered as it slowly dawned to him.

Megara stared back at him with melancholic eyes. "Yes, the woman that will cause the great war."


	10. The face of true love

Her head was spinning with all the chaos around her. First, she was distraught for having lost Andre's love, then she was afraid he would cause war between France and Sparta and she was torn between keeping the man he loved safe and protecting her beloved France, then fortunately, she won back Andre's love but then earned the King's lust, all in one afternoon. She could feel exhaustion and confusion kicking in but despite of all that, Oscar opted to stay with Andre and Hercules in fighting off King Menelaus and his men.

Hercules was the strongest man alive, it was not his battle and yet he was with them, but the king's men were huge in number and somehow despite his legendary strength, she feared for her friend's life, and more so, she feared for Andre's. This was not the way she intended things to end. She had not foreseen blood shed nor discord, all she prayed for was Andre's love. She was not sure how long they could fight.

Megara was both furious and confused. She disliked feeling helpless but she didn't know how to untangle the web of unfortunate events that kept happening to her friend Oscar. She fired her last arrow before running behind a huge tree a few yards from her husband, dragging Psyche with her.

"Now what? I'm running out of ideas. Should we just grab Oscar and make a run for it? I know Hercules can take all of these men," yelled Megara in frustration.

"Watch out, Andre!" yelled Oscar.

Psyche began to cry in the midst of all the chaos. "I wish…I wish Cupid was here. He would know what to do. Megara, I'm scared," cried Psyche as Meg drew her friend to her bosom.

Suddenly there was a flash of bright light that almost blinded Psyche and Megara and when the light subsided, there appeared a man of pearl complexion and ash blond hair, his features were so fine he looked almost feminine and ethereal, he was so pleasant to the eyes that it was a feat to take your eyes away from him. He was clothed with light garments of white and gold and he carried a bag of golden arrows on his back. Megara was astounded. She knew she was before a god.

Psyche rushed into the arms of her husband and cried. "Oh Cupid! Please help us."

He ran his hand gently on Psyche's long tresses to show her comfort and reassurance. "What have you gotten yourself into this time, my dear wife? Why are all these men fighting each other?"

Psyche cried harder. She was afraid her husband would be mad. Cupid saw the demi-god Hercules and knew his wife was in it big. He wanted to be mad but being angry will not solve anything. He wanted to reassure her that he would help her out of this mess.

"You must tell me what's wrong if you want us to fix this."

"You promise you won't be mad nor would you punish me nor anyone for it," urged Psyche in a small voice.

She flashed her biggest and sweetest smile to appease whatever may come after her confession.

"You see, my friend Oscar only wanted to earn back the love of her boyfriend, that French warrior with long dark hair and in order to help her I…I took one of your arrows to poke him…"

"You what?" exclaimed Cupid incredulously.

"I only wanted to help!"

Cupid sighed, "okay go on."

Psyche continued, " …but then I was afraid we would miss so I took another arrow and it accidentally hit the king. Now the King wanted my friend Oscar and he wanted to kill the French Warrior… oh please… please help us undo all this confusion."

"You should have told me from the beginning you needed help with love. My arrows are not play things, they are a big responsibility!"

"I was afraid you would say no. It was your mother who cursed Andre to stop loving Oscar!"

Megara found her voice, "We don't want to come between you and your mother but please can you help us to undo that love spell in the king's eyes so he would leave Oscar and Andre alone."

Cupid sighed. "Alright, I can shower them with love dust to clear away any enchantment that may have befallen them but… if it happens that it was not my mother's fault that caused Andre to fall out of love for Oscar in the first place…"

"Meaning, if it wasn't a spell at all but he indeed fallen out of love?"

"Yes, if he was not in love with her anymore to begin with, we can no longer make him love her. "

"I don't think I like the sound of that. Can you just apply that dust to the king? That way Andre stays in love with Oscar," said Megara.

"But Meg… we know he loves Oscar…" reasoned Psyche.

"Let's not take any chances. We know things from what Oscar tells us but we don't really know for sure, do we?" said Megara.

Cupid smirked. "Well, take it or leave it. There can't be a win-win situation in love. Love is always a risk."

"What are we asking your help for if you can't guarantee a happy ending?" snapped Megara.

Psyche screamed as three soldiers fell dead close to where they were. "We got to decide, Meg. Time is running out. Do we ask Oscar?"

"We can't pull her out, she's fighting."

Psyche turned to Cupid. "Please can't you just make this go away and ensure my friend's happy ending?"

"Love doesn't work that way Psyche… and I don't work that way. When I fell in love with you there was a chance you would not love me in return. I didn't douse you with love potion. Trust me. Love is beautiful only if it's real."

Psyche felt defeated. "Alright! Alright! Do what you must!"

She hugged the silent Megara. "I hope I'm not sending Oscar to her doom!"

"I think it could not get any worse than this. At least she would know if Andre truly loved her and there won't be anymore bloodshed," reassured Megara.

In a flash, Cupid flew up and around the battle field where Oscar, Andre and Hercules were fighting with King Menelaus and his men. Soon gold particles filled the air causing everyone to stop and scratch their eyes.

The king fell to his knees and dropped his sword groaning as he wiped his eyes from the gold dust that blind him.

"Oh my god! I hope my husband doesn't wake up not in love with me. I'm going to beat the god of love with my bare hands if it's the last thing I do," said Megara rolling her eyes.

"Hercules! Where are you, honey?" she yelled.

Hercules' big frame fell atop Megara and they both sprawled to the ground. "Darling, I can't see. What's happening?"

Megara helped her husband seat up on the ground and held his hand. "Everything's going to be alright after this. I know you don't trust my judgment most of the time, but believe me all will be well. Love conquers all."

Oscar didn't know what was happening but if it were the end of the world, she wanted to die right next to Andre. Although she could hardly see with all the dust around them, she staggered towards Andre.

"Andre! Andre!" she cried.

Andre followed the sound of Oscar's voice and as soon as he knew he found Oscar, he hugged her tightly in his arms. "I love you, Oscar. If I die now, I want you to know that I love you. I always have and always will even after death."

Oscar began to cry. "Don't say that Andre. We will be together for always as we have before….Andre….What's wrong?"

Andre collapsed on the ground and Oscar hugged him to her, trying to wake him. _Please not now, not when we have found love. Don't Die, Andre._

Helen rushed to Andre's side as well. "Andre?" she uttered in tears.

It was painful for Oscar to see Helen approach Andre but she wasn't selfish. She wouldn't keep anyone who loved him away from him. _If I have to give him up just to save his life, I will, thought Oscar. I love you, Andre._

Helen ran her fingers to Andre's lips even as Oscar cradled the unconscious Andre in her arms. "I was happiest when I was with you, Andre. You are the one I truly love," whispered Helen.

Slowly Andre blinked until his green eyes began to focus… Gradually… blurry at first, and then he saw the face of the woman he truly loves. He smiled at her, his sweet, gentlemanly smile with a sparkle of true love in his eyes.

"Oscar…" 


End file.
